Device appropriate for the identification of animals

ABSTRACT

A two-part identification device to be inserted in the pierced ear of an animal comprises an elliptical deformable plastic plate having a circular opening with oppositely disposed grooves to receive another similar plastic plate having a dowel which is inserted through the animal&#39;&#39;s ear into the opening in the first plate, the tip of the dowel being spear shaped with a flat base whose margin is defined by a pair of intersecting ogive lines.

United States Patent Theodorus Antonio Gerardo Oudenhoven Vita Dumas,499 Punta Chica, Partido San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina 867,705

Oct. 20, 1969 July 27, I971 [72] Inventor [2| 1 Appl. No. [22] Filed[45] Patented [54] DEVICE APPROPRIATE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ANIMALS2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.5. CI 116/114, 24/90, 24/108, 40/301 [51] Int.Cl ..G0ld 21/00[50] FieldofSearch 116/114;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,624 2/1953 Sutin24/90 2,901,796 9/1959 Hope 24/90 UX 2,940,199 6/1960 Goldberg... 40/3013,237,904 3/1966 Abruzese 24/245 X 3,388,492 6/1968 Nichols, Jr 40/301FOREIGN PATENTS 1,404,528 5/1965 France 24/90 Primary Examiner-- LouisJ. Capozi Attorney-Christen & Sabol ABSTRACT: A two-part identificationdevice to be inserted in the pierced ear of an animal comprises anelliptical deforma- -ble plastic plate having a circular opening withoppositely disposed grooves to receive another similar plastic platehaving a dowel which is inserted through the animals ear into theopening in the first plate, the tip of the dowel being spear shaped witha flat base whose margin is defined by a pair of intersecting ogivelines,

The present invention concerns a device appropriate for theidentification of cattle and its principal object is to provide anembodiment of said kind in order to avoid the many difficulties in thepractice and operation of the embodiments used up to the present.

The features normally found in cattle identifying elements are varied,which generally are applied to the animals ears, but experience wouldindicate that the most appropriate devices are those constituted by apair of pieces, which once applied, adjoin one another, each one of saidparts possesses reciprocal locking means, and one of those pierces theanimal's ear.

Precisely, in elements of this type, the difficulties appear when theinterlocking means are linked. Said interlocking means do not assure aneffective engagement between the component parts, and therefore suddenmovements cause them to loosen and to cease performing their function insome cases, and in others to do harm to the animal.

Therefore, the object of the invention is to obtain a firm joint for thediscs integrating the marking device, by means of which it becomespossible to eliminate the above-mentioned loosening of parts and toavoid inflicting harm on the animal, these being the main causes leadingto the inefficiency of the said former devices.

The above purpose is obtained by means of a construction such that itcan rightly be said to constitute the basic point of the invention. Thisconstruction differs from any previous embodiments so far put intopractice to obtain a more effective and efficient joint between thediscs which comprise the identification device.

Essentially, the principal object of the invention, in so far as itsscope is concerned, is defined by the fact that the device consists of apair of flat-faced, elliptically shaped elements. One of said members isprovided at the center thereof with an integral dowel, the axis of whichis perpendicular to the disc. Said pin or dowel terminates in aspearpoint shaped acuminate portion, having an ogival acuminate basis,whereas the other elliptical element is provided with a circularorifice, the diameter of which is substantially equal to that of theaforesaid dowel and smaller than that of the ogival acuminate basis ofthe spear-shaped point, said orifice continuing laterally in twodiametrally opposite grooved areas.

This arrangement, when the dowel pierces the ear of the animal, permitsthe ogival basis of the spear point to interlock with the complementaryelliptical element. To this end, it is necessary that the marginal areaof the orifice be deformed to allow the passage of that portion of thespear point basis which has the larger area. Said deformation ispossible due tothe circumstance that said two transversal grooves havebeen provided as an extension of the circular orifice. The imaginaryline of these two grooves coincides with the axis of the ogive.

The invention likewise envisages other accessory objects, as will bemade clear during the course of the present description.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood andreadily put into practice, an exemplary preferred embodiment of samewill now be described with reference to the drawings attached to thedescription and in which FIG. I is a perspective view of the assemblyconstituting the identification device according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device in position of entry.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but in this case showing bothconstitutive elements according to the invention facing one another inposition ready for entry.

FIG. 4 is a view following arrow A shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. Sis asectional view through line 843 of FIG. 2.

Like numerals represent like or similar parts through out the severalfigures of the drawings.

In accordance with the embodiment shown, the device of I the inventionconsists of a pair of elliptically shaped elements l and 2. The edges,la and 2a, of said elements are substantially chamfered, even thoughthese shapes are not basic or fundamental to the invention, and may bevaried without implying a modification of the latter.

A dowel lc rises from the center of element 1. The axis of this dowel isperpendicular to the plane of the faces of said element. It terminatesin lanceolated portion 1d which, considered in a plane, is ogival inshape, and the base 1e of which is of larger diameter than dowel 10.

The other one of said elliptical elements 2 is also, at its center,provided with a circular orifice 2a, the diameter of which issubstantially equal to the diameter of dowel lc. Said orifice 2a iscontinued in two grooves or diametrally opposite slits 2b and 2c, bymeans of which a certain deformability is granted to edges 2a whichfacilitate insertion of lanceolated portion 1d but which prevent itsextraction, unless great strength be applied for that purpose, such ascould be obtained only by means of manual intervention of a kindexceptional in such an insertion. The axis of the ogive must be in linewith both grooves 2c-2b.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the dowel is made to pass through an orificein the ear of the animal, said dowel being then confronted with thesecond disc-shaped element 2. Pressure is now exerted on both, asindicated by arrows shown in FIG. 3. Through this action, lanceolatedportion M is made to pass through orifice 2a until the component partsare situated in the reciprocal position illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show how the component parts are secured owing to theinsertion of the lanceolated portion into the corresponding orifice, andhow said portion permits a very safe joint to be obtained to avoid theuntimely release of both elements.

The invention as described and illustrated may be clearly understood andfurther explanations will not be required by those versed in the art.

It is evident that sundry alterations as to construction and detail maybe made without departing from the scope of the present invention, asclearly determined in the following claims.

Having thus particularly described and determined the nature of thepresent invention and the manner in which same is to be put intopractice, it is declared that what I claim as exclusive property andinvention is:

l. A two-part device for attachment to the pierced ear of an animal foridentification purposes, comprising a first flat generally ellipticalplastic deformable plate member having a centrally disposed generallycircular opening therein, said opening also including a pair ofoppositely disposed radially outwardly extending grooves, and a secondflat generally elliptical plastic plate member substantially similar tothe first plate member and including a centrally disposed insertiondowel projecting transversely from one side thereof, the extremity ofsaid dowel having a generally spear-shaped projection terminating in abase having a fiat surface extending outwardly from the dowel in a planeparallel with the plate member, the margin of said base being defined bytwo oppositely disposed ogive lines intersecting at two pointsequidistantly spaced from opposite sides of the dowel, the distancebetween said two points being approximately equal to the length of theopening defined by the grooves in the first plate member.

2. The invention as described in claim 1, wherein the grooves in saidopening in the first plate member and the two points of intersection ofthe ogival curves defining the base of the projection in the secondplate member are all disposed in a common plane coinciding with thelonger axes of the respective first and second plate members.

1. A two-part device for attachment to the pierced ear of an animal for identification purposes, comprising a first flat generally elliptical plastic deformable plate member having a centrally disposed generally circular opening therein, said opening also including a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending grooves, and a second flat generally Elliptical plastic plate member substantially similar to the first plate member and including a centrally disposed insertion dowel projecting transversely from one side thereof, the extremity of said dowel having a generally spear-shaped projection terminating in a base having a flat surface extending outwardly from the dowel in a plane parallel with the plate member, the margin of said base being defined by two oppositely disposed ogive lines intersecting at two points equidistantly spaced from opposite sides of the dowel, the distance between said two points being approximately equal to the length of the opening defined by the grooves in the first plate member.
 2. The invention as described in claim 1, wherein the grooves in said opening in the first plate member and the two points of intersection of the ogival curves defining the base of the projection in the second plate member are all disposed in a common plane coinciding with the longer axes of the respective first and second plate members. 